A Russian projectile falls 150 meters from Zelensky and Mitsotakis during the visit of the Greek Prime Minister to Odessa

Russia gave a show of force this Wednesday by breaking into a visit by an EU leader, the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. Vladimir Putin's troops have attacked Odessa, the Ukrainian port city on the shores of the Black Sea, with drones, a few meters from where Mitsotakis and Zelensky were. One of the projectiles landed just 150 meters from the caravan of both leaders, although no member of the delegations was injured. So far, the attack has left five people dead and several injured.

In statements to Ukrainian public television, Zelensky assured that Russia “does not care where to hit.” “These are military, civil and international guests, but these people [en referencia a los rusos] do not care. “Either they are crazy or they do not control how their terrorist army is operating,” she stated. Zelensky and Mitsotakis were visiting the port of Odessa when they were surprised by the Kremlin's unmanned vehicles. Mitsotakis explained that Zelensky was pointing out the importance of the port in the maritime export route for Ukrainian grain and the damage he suffered during Putin's campaign against this corridor.

For his part, the Greek president noted: “In the end we heard the sound of sirens and explosions that were very close to us.” “We didn't have time to go to a safe place, it is a very impressive experience,” he added. “I understand that this war affects everyone, there is no one who is left out. “Ukraine is fighting a barbaric force,” the prime minister continued. The air alarm sirens began to sound at 10:41 (one hour earlier in mainland Spain) on Wednesday in the Odessa region, after which a strong explosion was felt in the city. At 10:45 the air force warned of the threat of the use of missiles by the Moscow army.

Mitsotakis has assured that Athens will continue to support Ukraine, as well as its entry into the European Union and NATO. “My presence here reflects the respect of the entire free world for these people and underlines Greece's commitment to remain by their side,” he said. For his part, Zelensky stated that both leaders have discussed how to enhance the security of maritime traffic in the Black Sea and how Greece can help Ukraine increase the protection of its citizens, both military and civilian. “We need more air defenses,” concluded the Ukrainian president.

On March 2, a Russian Shahed model kamikaze drone, made in Iran, hit a residential building in Odessa killing 12 civilians, including five children. The attack left 18 apartments unusable and another 36 were severely damaged. Rescue services worked for two days through the rubble to rescue the injured and recover the bodies of the deceased. Zelensky and Mitsotakis have paid tribute to the victims of that bombing.

Follow all the international information on Facebook and xor in our weekly newsletter.

Join EL PAÍS to follow all the news and read without limits.

Subscribe

_